Folding knives are invaluable tools that are used in many aspects of everyday life, and there are many, many types and styles of folding knives. An automatic knife is generally defined as a folding knife that includes some type of mechanism that automatically drives the blade from a closed position to an open position when the user manipulates some kind of trigger. Automatic folding knifes are nearly as ubiquitous as manual folding knives. As noted, these knives include some type of a mechanism—almost always a spring-driven mechanism—that drives the blade from the dosed position to the open position when the user activates the automatic mechanism, typically by pushing a button or analogous activating mechanism —“trigger.” Generally speaking, in a knife that has an automatic opening mechanism the blade is held in the closed position by a latched trigger mechanism. When closed, the blade is under a constant “pre-load” pressure from a spring mechanism. When the trigger is released, the blade is automatically driven by the spring mechanism into the open position.
On the other hand, a “manual” folding knife is a very traditional type of tool in which the blade is manually movable by the user between a closed or stowed position in which the sharp edge of the blade is held safely within the handle, and an open position in which the blade is extended in an operable position. There are innumerable variations on this basic theme.
Another popular style of folding knife is one that incorporates an auto-assist opening feature. There are many kinds of so-called auto assist knives and many mechanisms used in them. Generally described, in an auto assist knife the user manually rotates the blade from its fully dosed position toward the open position. When the blade reaches a threshold point in the rotation, a spring mechanism is activated and from that point automatically drives the blade to the fully open position. As with manual and automatic knives, most auto assist knives include locks that secure the blade in the open position.
Most folding knives, whether manual, auto assist or automatic, incorporate some kind of a mechanism that holds the blade or working implement in the closed position in which the sharp edge of the blade is held safely within the handle. There are many known mechanisms for retaining blades in the closed position, and there are obvious reasons why such mechanisms are used. Among other reasons, blade-retaining mechanisms prevent unintended opening of the knife and thus promote safety. As noted, many folders also include mechanisms that lock the blade in the open position, primarily as a safety feature. There are many different types of these locks.
Automatic knives have many uses and can be used in many different settings. One primary use for automatic knives is in the fields of law enforcement and military operations. Personnel in these fields often need to have the knife ready for use very quickly and the automatic opening mechanism thus facilitates their jobs. However, a drawback to most known automatic knives is that the trigger mechanism is typically “handed”—that is, the trigger is designed for operation by either the right or left hand and, typically, most triggers are designed for right-handed users. For example, many automatic knives place the trigger so that it is located in the “left” side handle of the knife. The trigger is manipulated by the user's thumb. Clearly, such a configuration is designed for a right-handed user. While the mechanism may be reversed for a left-handed user, it cannot easily be activated ambidextrously.
In practice, often times during their normal daily routines, law enforcement officers and military personnel will have one hand occupied with one job and need to be able to access a knife with the other hand. Take the example of a right-handed military user. If such a user has their right hand occupied—say holding onto a rope while descending from a helicopter—and their knife of choice is an automatic opening knife, then that user need to be able to open his or her knife with their left hand. If the automatic knife is a “right-handed” opener, then the user will find it very difficult to open the blade. This could cause delays and danger to the personnel.
The same applies to manual and auto assist knives that are designed to be opened with one hand or the other, but not both.
There is a need therefore for knives that incorporate trigger or other opening mechanisms that are truly ambidextrous so that the blade may be opened with equal ease by both right and left-handed users.
As noted previously, most knives incorporate locking mechanisms that lock the blade securely in the open position. The need for such locks is obvious: they prevent unintentional closing of the blade during use, which would be very dangerous. There are many, many different types of locking mechanisms available, from the ubiquitous “liner locks” to top locks to the lock described in U.S. Reissue Pat. No. RE 41259, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. Despite the availability of many different types of blade locks, there is a need for strong and functional locking mechanisms for folding knives.
The present invention comprises a folding knife incorporating an ambidextrously accessible trigger mechanism for opening the blade from is dosed and locked position into the open position. The ambidextrous mechanism may be incorporated into any type of knife: automatic, auto assist and manual. Regardless of the style of opening, when the blade according to the invention reaches the open position the novel locking mechanism described herein securely locks the blade open. The ambidextrous trigger mechanism comprises a button accessible to the user on each side of the knife handle. Taking the example of the mechanism in an automatic opening knife, the user may fire the automatic opening mechanism by depressing either the right or left hand trigger button, or both simultaneously. The locking mechanisms described herein automatically lock the blade in the open position. The lock is unlocked in order to fold the blade from open to closed by once again pushing one or both of the ambidextrous buttons.
In other embodiments, ambidextrous the locking mechanisms described herein are incorporated in auto assist and manual knifes that include the locking mechanism described and shown in the drawings.